04 Health and Safety Management Systems 3 - Planning

Question 1

What is meant by SMART objectives?

Answer 1

SMART stands as an acronyms of:

Specific.- A clearly, defined, precise objective

Measurable.- Possible to measure that the target has been achieved.

Achievable.- It can be done

Reasonable.- Within the timescale set and with the resources allocated. Actions which the organization can actually take.

Time-bound. A deadline or timescale is set for completion of the objective. A completion date for each action.

Question 2

Why is the distinction between hazards and risks so important to health and safety management?

Answer 2

Hazards will always exist in the workplace and usually it is not possible to eliminate them.

Risk can be controlled and reduced. This is the central point of Health and Safety Management.

Question 3

State the purpose and objectives of risk assessment.

Answer 3

The aim of risk assessment is to eliminate hazards to reduce risk to an acceptable level. The objectives are to prevent personal injury and ill-health, to achieve legal compliance, and to reduce costs associated with losses.

Question 4

What do accident triangles show?

Answer 4

Accident triangles show the relationship between numbers of accidents with different outcomes. They show the ratio of number of events with no significant outcome to events with minor outcome to events with very serious outcome. Overall there will be a much larger number of near misses / incidents compared to the number of minor injury events, in turn compared to the numbers of serious injury events.

Question 5

What techniques are used for identifying hazards?

Answer 5

• • Inspections A formal inspection can reveal the various hazards that are present and that need to be considered in the risk assessment. One problem with this method is that it is being carried out in an existing workplace and so any identified hazards already exist. This is contrary to the general principle of safety management, which is that the hazard should not be introduced until after the risk assessment has been carried out and the controls put in place.
• Task Analysis This is a useful method for identifying hazards, since it allows hazards to be spotted before work starts, rather than after the work has started. Task analysis involves breaking a job down into component steps and identifying the hazards associated with each step, so that the safe working method can then be established to deal with each hazard. This can be done before work starts as part of the planning process, and is how Safe Systems of Work (SSWs) are developed.
• Legislation Knowledge of the legal standards that apply to a particular workplace is an important aid to identifying any significant hazards that need to be identified. For example, knowledge of the law relating to work at height will allow a competent assessor to identify which tasks might be defined as work at height and which can be ignored. Legislation is often accompanied by guidance documents which can be very useful in the identification of hazards. For example, in the UK guidance documents exist to spell out all the hazards that exist in engineering workshops.
• Manufacturers’ Information When a new item of plant, machinery or equipment is purchased it usually comes with an instruction book that contains information about all the related hazards and instructions for safe use, cleaning and maintenance. Similarly, when a new substance is purchased it comes with labels and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that clearly identifies the hazards of the substance.
• Incident Data Internal accident and near miss data can be useful in identifying hazards. The main limitation here is that a hazard may be very significant but may not yet have caused harm in the organisation and may therefore go unnoticed. External data, such as national statistics published by the authorities, can be more useful since they identify the real hazards and risks based on a much larger population size.

Question 6

Apart from operators, what particular staff groups require special consideration during risk assessment?

Answer 6

• Cleaners
• Maintenance Operators
• Young workers
• Lone Workers
• New and expectant mothers
• Disable staff
• Contractors
• Members of the public

Question 7

What are the advantages of adopting a semi-quantitative risk rating system? (4)

Answer 7

Using a semi-quantitative risk rating system can be useful for several reasons:

• Clarity of thinking - people tend to think more carefully about likelihood and severity of foreseeable injury when they are asked to use this type of scoring system, and so give a more accurate end result.
• Consistency of approach - different people can use this system and will get similar results.
• Prioritisation - since risk is now represented by a number, and the higher the number the greater the risk, it is possible to easily separate out the various risks presented by several hazards and rank them in order.
• Timescale - it is even possible to allocate particular timescales to the risk ratings that are calculated using this type of system.

This approach is not universal, but is used by some organisations. If there are clear legal standards about the controls that should be applied to a particular hazard in a workplace, then the use of a scoring system and risk prioritisation and timescales, etc. becomes largely redundant. The only question that really matters is: Are we doing what the law requires? Yes or no?

Question 8

What factors are used to evaluate risk?

Answer 8

Likelihood of the harm and Severity at that harm

Question 9

What is residual Risk

Answer 9

Is the remaining risk after adopting the risk controls. It should be only low-level, acceptable risk

• If the residual risk is low then it might be considered acceptable - the existing controls are adequate. Nothing more need be done. In effect the risk assessment has confirmed that the current situation is acceptable.
• If the residual risk is high, a decision has to be made about whether this residual risk is tolerable or unacceptable:
  
  • Tolerable implies that it is not acceptable but it can be tolerated for a short time while interim controls are put into place.
  • Unacceptable implies that the risk level is too high for work to be allowed.

Question 10

What are the Principles of Prevention

Answer 10

Eliminate the Hazard

Substitute the Hazard

Create a a Safe Place – Engineering solutions

Create a Safe person – Administrative procedures, PPE.

Question 11

What conditions might trigger a risk assessment review?

Answer 11

There are a number of situations that might trigger a review of a risk assessment:

• Significant change to something that the risk assessment relates to:
  
  • Process.
  • Substances.
  • Equipment.
  • Workplace environment.
  • Personnel.
  • Legal standards.
• There is reason to suspect that the assessment is not valid:
  
  • Accident.
  • Near miss.
  • Ill-health.

It is also good practice to review risk assessments on a regular basis. This is often done by determining a frequency of review based on the level of risk associated with the activity in question. An annual review of risk assessments is common practice in many workplaces.

Question 12

Priorities and Timescales addressing actions after a risk assessment

Answer 12

Normally we will use prioritization: the higher the risk the higher the priority. But there are two problems with this:

• A low risk level might be low priority, but it might also have a very simple, quick, low cost remedy. A law court might not accept that something that is quick and easy to address should be allowed to persist; it should be addressed immediately because it can be done immediately.
• A medium risk might demand a medium priority, but that does not necessarily mean that a law court would accept that an intermediate timescale would be acceptable. The level of risk to workers should always be acceptable - not just acceptable after 24 hours of working.

Question 13

Why a young person might be more vulnerable to risk, and what should be done to minimize risk?

Answer 13

• Lack of experience in workplaces in general.
• Physical and, perhaps, mental immaturity.
• Poor perception of risk.
• Heavily influenced by peer group pressure.
• Eager to show a willingness to work.
• Less developed communication skills.

It may be necessary to:

• Carry out risk assessments specifically with young persons in mind.
• Prohibit a young person from carrying out certain high risk activities (e.g. operating high-risk machinery).
• Restrict their work patterns and hours (no night shift work or overtime).
• Train and supervise them more than other workers.
• Provide mentors to monitor and supervise young persons more closely than other workers and to provide clear lines of communication.
• Provide specific health surveillance.

Question 14

How we should consider the case of expectant women and nursing mothers when doing risk assessments?

Answer 14

In most of these instances the hazard presents a risk not only to the woman but also to the baby. Many of these hazards can cause miscarriage, birth defects or ill-health in the baby. In all cases where a woman reports that she is pregnant, a risk assessment should be carried out focusing on the work that she is doing and the hazards that might increase risk to her and the child. It may then be necessary to:

• Change the type of work or the way that it is done.
• Change the hours of work.
• Suspend the woman from the workplace.

Question 15

How we should consider the case of disabled workers when doing risk assessments?

Answer 15

During the risk assessment process it may be necessary to:

• Identify certain health and fitness criteria for some jobs and then evaluate staff against these criteria. This may result in those with a certain disability being excluded from doing these jobs, e.g. forklift truck drivers should have their eyesight checked before being allowed to drive.
• Identify workers with known disabilities and consider what the implications of their particular type and level of disability might be.

Question 16

Why lone workers are a group of workers who are especially vulnerable in certain instances?

Answer 16

• They may be more at risk of violence, particularly if the worker is exposed to members of the public, has to travel out into the community, or is involved in work that brings them into contact with violent people, e.g. in prisons or mental-health institutions.
• They may be more at risk if they are injured or fall ill. Certain types of work involve a high risk of personal injury or ill health (e.g. confined space entry). In these situations lone working may be inappropriate or additional precautions may be necessary to protect the individual.

Question 17

Which are the general principles of prevention?

Answer 17

• Avoid risks - where possible.
• Evaluate risks which cannot be avoided – through the risk assessment process.
• Combat risks at source - by going to the source of the problem directly (e.g. if there is a noise hazard in the workplace, tackle the source of the noise).
• Adapt work to suit the individual - by applying good ergonomic principles to job and workplace design (e.g. if people are becoming tired when carrying out repetitive work introduce job rotation).
• Adapt to technical progress - by taking advantage of new technology as it becomes available (e.g. buy mobile phones for lone workers).
• Replace the dangerous with the non-dangerous or less dangerous - by substituting one hazard with something else which is less hazardous (e.g. replace a corrosive chemical with one that does the same job but is classified as “irritant” and therefore less harmful).
• Develop a coherent overall prevention policy – by consistently using the same approach across the whole organisation.
• Give priority to collective protective measures over individual protective measures - by creating a workplace that is safe for all rather than relying on measures that only protect one worker at a time (e.g. install a guard rail rather than rely on PPE).
• Give appropriate instructions to workers – workers must receive information on the correct systems of work to be adopted, and the organisation must also adequately supervise the workers to ensure that instructions are followed.

Question 18

Collective protective measures versus individual ones.

Answer 18

Collective protective measures are those which protect the whole workplace and everyone who works there, as opposed to individual ones which protect single individuals. These two approaches are behind the concepts of a safe place and a safe person.

• Safe place - the environment of the workplace, where the emphasis is on collective protection through the correct design, selection and engineering of premises, plant, machinery, equipment, processes and substances.
• Safe person - individual behaviour, where the emphasis is on the competence of workers who have received adequate information, instruction and training and follow safe systems of work.

Question 19

Explain the hierarchy of the risk controls

Answer 19

We can think of the various control options as a hierarchy, where controls at the top of the hierarchy are the most effective and those at the bottom are the least effective. The general hierarchy of control:

• Elimination. If a hazard can be eliminated then the risk created by that hazard disappears. This might be done by completely avoiding an activity that gives rise to risk. The obvious limitation to this approach is that it is not possible to apply it to most of the activities carried out in the workplace.
• Substitution. Sometimes hazard elimination cannot be achieved, but it is possible to substitute one hazard with another that creates less risk. For example, one hazardous substance classified as “toxic” (i.e. lethal in small doses) is substituted with one that is “irritant”
• Engineering controls. Involve the use of an engineering solution to prevent exposure to the hazard.
• Administrative controls. Administrative controls are those that rely on procedures and behaviour.
• Personal protective equipment.

Question 20

Examples of Engineering Controls

Answer 20

Involve the use of an engineering solution to prevent exposure to the hazard. This might be done by:

• Isolation or total enclosure - the aim here is to isolate the hazard physically so that nobody is exposed to it. (noise protection)
• Separation or segregation - simply placing the hazard in an inaccessible location. An example can be segregate vehicles and pedestrian traffic segregation.
• Partial enclosure - e.g. a hazardous substance might be handled in a fume hood or partial enclosure which the worker can reach into for handling purposes; air is extracted from the top or back of this partial enclosure so that any airborne contaminants are extracted from the enclosure away from the worker.
• Safety devices and features that ensure that the item is used in the correct way and not an unsafe way. For example, interlock switches are fitted to movable guards on machinery to ensure that when the guard is open the machine will not operate (but when the guard is closed it will).

Question 21

Examples of Administrative Controls

Answer 21

Administrative controls are those that rely on procedures and behaviour, such as:

• Safe Systems of Work A safe system of work is a formal procedure which defines a method of working that eliminates hazards or minimises the risks associated with them. Safe systems of work are necessary whenever hazards cannot be physically eliminated and some element of risk remains. This applies to any task involving significant risk( detonating explosives in a quarry
• Reduce Exposure If the degree to which a worker is exposed to a hazard can be reduced, then that worker is far less likely to have an accident with that hazard. The duration of each exposure and the frequency of exposure will both play a part here - the less time and the less frequently the better. • Reduce time of exposure Many health hazards in the workplace cause a degree of harm that is entirely dependent on the dose that a worker receives, e.g. the harm caused by noise. The dose is determined by two principal factors: –– Concentration, intensity or magnitude of the hazard present. –– Time of exposure.
• Information, Instruction, Training and Supervision Training is instrumental in enabling employees to become competent. A competent employee is equipped with all relevant information and is fully aware of the hazards and the use of appropriate preventative measures. One way that an employer might provide basic health and safety information is through the use of safety signs. Supervision refers to management routinely checking workers and exercising their authority to control behaviour.

Question 22

Safety Signs

Answer 22

Safety signs combine shape, colour and pictograms to convey specific health and safety information or instructions. Whilst there are regional variations, the standard safety signs are divided into five categories:

• Prohibition - directed at stopping dangerous behaviour, e.g. “No Smoking”. The signs are circular with a black pictogram on a white background with a red border and red diagonal cross bar.
• Warning - tell people to be careful of a particular hazard, e.g. “Fork Lift Trucks Operating In The Area”. The signs are triangular with a black pictogram on a yellow background with a black border.
• Mandatory action - instruct people to take a specific action, often relating to wearing personal protective equipment, e.g. “Eye Protection Must Be Worn”. They are circular with a solid blue background with a white pictogram.
• Safe condition - identify safe behaviour or places of safety, e.g. “First Aid Station”. They are rectangular or square with a white pictogram on a green background.
• Fire-fighting equipment - identify particular items of equipment, e.g. “Hose Reels”. They are rectangular or square with a white symbol or pictogram on a red background. Pictograms must be used on the signs not just text.

Question 23

Where should personal protective equipment be used.

Answer 23

When it has not been possible to eliminate the hazard or reduce risk to acceptable levels by the use of engineering controls, working methods or administrative controls. PPE is a last resort.

Question 24

Benefits of PPE

Answer 24

• Can be used as an interim control whilst more expensive or difficult controls are put in place.
• In some situations it may be the only control option available.
• It may be needed as a back-up for emergencies when other controls have failed. It is usually cheap.
• It gives immediate protection.

Question 25

Limitations of PPE

Answer 25

• It does not remove the hazard so should be used when other control measures have been exhausted.
• It only protects one person - the wearer.
• Also its correct use relies on the wearer so training in correct use is necessary.
• It may not protect adequately if it is not fitted correctly or the wrong PPE is selected.
• It may not be comfortable and may interfere with the wearer’s ability to do the job.
• It may increase overall risk by impairing the senses (e.g. goggles that mist up, hearing protection that masks sounds like fire alarms).
• It may not be compatible with other items that have to be worn or used. Fit is also affected by personal features such as beards and spectacles.
• If it fails, it exposes the wearer to danger. It may be contaminated if not stored correctly. People often do not like wearing PPE so it may not be worn. PPE may be more expensive than addressing the hazard at source.

Question 26

What is the duty of the employer in relation with the PPE?

Answer 26

It is the duty of the employer to:

• Supply suitable PPE where risks cannot be controlled by other more effective methods.“Suitable” means:
  
  • Appropriate for the risks and the conditions.
  • Ergonomic (i.e. user-friendly).
  • It fits.
  • It does not increase overall risk.
  • It complies with any relevant standards.
• Ensure that when two or more items of PPE have to be worn together they are compatible.
• Provide suitable storage facilities for PPE.
• Provide information, instruction and training to workers on the PPE they are expected to wear.
• Enforce the use of PPE.
• Replace or repair damaged or lost items.

Question 27

Identify internal (8) and external (7) sources of information about health and safety

Answer 27

Internal

• Accident Investigation
• Near Misses investigation
• Medical Records
• Absence Records
• Risk Assessments
• Maintenance Reports
• Safety representative reports
• Audit reports
• Safety Committee meeting minutes

External

• National Legislation
• MSDS
• National Codes of practical and guidance notes
• National and International regulatory bodies
• Manufacturers’ operating instructions
• Trade associations
• Safety journals and magazines

Question 28

Define Safe System at Work

Answer 28

A Safe System of work is a formal procedure which results from a systematic examination of the tasks of a work process in order to identify all the hazards and define methods of working which eliminate those hazards or minimize the risk associated with them. We can identify three key elements from this definition of a safe system of work (SSW):

• The SSW is formal - documented or recorded in some way.
• It results from a systematic examination of work in order to identify the hazards - it is the result of risk assessment.
• It defines safe methods - it is the safe procedure or work instruction.

Question 29

Responsibility of the employer in relation with Safe systems at work

Answer 29

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that safe systems of work are available for all work activities that create significant risk, just as it is the responsibility of the employer to carry out risk assessment of all work activities.

Question 30

Role of competent persons developing Safe systems at work

Answer 30

Safe systems of work should be developed by people with the relevant knowledge, experience, training and skills to understand the work under analysis. This implies that the people responsible for SSW development must be competent. In the absence of competence key hazards may be missed and key risk not addressed.

Question 31

How does involving employees in the development of safe systems of work contribute to strengthening the safety culture?

Answer 31

Involvement enables employees to gain a deeper understanding of hazards and risks, and of the way in which safe systems of work will minimize those risks. It also encourages ownership of key controls by the employees involved in their development. It also promotes their behavior, as they participate in the process.

Question 32

What is the difference between technical, procedures and behavioral controls?

Answer 32

Technical or engineering controls are those which are applied directly to the hazard itself in order to minimize the risk.

Procedural Controls define the way in which work should be carried out in relation to the hazard.

Behavioral controls define how the individual operator or groups of workers must act in relation to the hazard.

Question 33

How can we develop a Safe System at Work?

Answer 33

Factors to be considered when developing a safe system of work:

• What is the task being undertaken? Analysis can be provided through job safety analysis (the SREDIM method mentioned earlier).
• What equipment and materials are required for the task? These will present their own hazards which need to be controlled.
• Who will be carrying out the work? How many people are working? What is their experience/ knowledge level? Are there vulnerable persons?
• What are the hazards associated with the job?
• What controls are recommended by the manufacturer?
• What emergency provision is in place?
• Are the control measures adequate or are additional controls needed?
• How will the system of work be monitored?

Question 34

Define Confine Space

Answer 34

A confined space can be defined as “any place such as a chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, well, pipe, sewer, flue, or similar, in which by virtue of its enclosed nature there is a foreseeable risk of:

• Fire or explosion.
• Loss of consciousness or asphyxiation arising from gas, fumes, vapour or lack of oxygen.
• Drowning.
• Asphyxiation as a result of entrapment in free flowing solid.
• Loss of consciousness as a result of high air temperature.” Note that a confined space has two characteristics:
• An enclosed nature (ventilation will be restricted and access/egress - getting in and out - may be difficult).
• One or more of the foreseeable specified risks exist.

Question 35

What a Safe System of Work for a Confined Space has to consider (14)

Answer 35

• Level of supervision.
• Competency requirements of the people doing the work.
• Communication methods to be used inside the confined space.
• Atmospheric testing and monitoring before and during entry.
• Ventilation that may be required before and during entry.
• Removal of residues.
• Isolation and lock off of in-feeds and out-feeds (pipes, etc.)
• Isolation and lock off of electrical and mechanical hazards.
• PPE requirements for workers inside the confined space which may include respiratory protective equipment.
• Safe and quick access and egress methods.
• Fire prevention measures.
• Lighting that is suitable and safe to use in the atmosphere inside the confined space.
• Suitability of individuals in terms of body size and psychology.
• Emergency and rescue arrangements to cope with foreseeable emergencies.

Question 36

Control Risk considered for Lone working

Answer 36

• No lone working for certain high risk activities (such as confined space entry).
• Arrangements for remote supervision.
• Procedures for logging workers’ locations when lone working.
• The use of mobile phones or radios to ensure good communications.
• The provision of lone worker alarm systems to raise the alarm and pin-point the worker.
• Procedures to be adopted by workers when lone working.
• Emergency procedures.
• Training for workers in those procedures.

Question 37

Control Risk considered for working and travelling abroad.

Answer 37

• Pre- and post-visit briefings.
• Insurance arrangements.
• Personal health advice and vaccinations.
• Financial arrangements.
• Personal security training and advice.
• Advice on cultural differences and requirements.
• Accommodation.
• In-country travel.
• Emergency arrangements.
• 24-hour organisation contacts.

Question 38

Why do instruction, training and superstition form part of a safe system.

Answer 38

Because only people who have been given appropriate training and instruction should be allowed to undertake the work. Supervision is necessary to ensure that staff follow their instruction and training.

Question 39

What is a permit-to-work?

Answer 39

Permits-to-work are formal documents specifying the work to be done, hazards, and the precautions to be taken. Work can only start when safe procedures have been defined and put in place. The permit provides a clear written record, signed by a responsible manager or supervisor, that all foreseeable hazards have been considered and all necessary actions have been taken. It should usually be in the possession of the person in charge of the operation before work can begin.

Question 40

What are the four key elements of a typical permit?, and a fifth one.

Answer 40

• Issue o Description of the job o Assessment of hazards o Controls
• Receipt o Signatures of the authorized person issuing the permit o Signature of the competent person accepting the permit
• Clearance. Signature of the competent person stating that the area has been made safe
• Cancellation. Signature of the authorised person stating that the isolations have been removed, the area has been accepted back and that the equipment can be restarted.
• Extension This section is included in some permit systems in case there is any overrun of the work. It allows the authorizing manager to grant an extension to the timescale of the permit.

Question 41

What are the limitations of Permit-to-work systems (9)

Answer 41

A permit-to-work is just a piece of paper; it does not ensure safety. What ensures safety is the management system that it represents.

• Only authorised persons should issue permits.
• Permit issuers must be familiar with the hazards of the workplace and the job to be carried out.
• Precautions must be checked before permits are authorised (no issuing of permits from the office!).
• Permits must never be amended.
• All permit conditions must be adhered to.
• Staff must be trained and competent.
• The system must be monitored to ensure that it is effective.
• The PTW system must be appropriate for the nature of the business, e.g. a bakery may require a less complex system than an oil rig.
• Sufficient time must be allowed to ensure permits are issued correctly, and staff trained to understand this. Contractors, for example, may become stressed if the process is time-consuming, but must understand that they are required to adhere to the system.

Question 42

(a) Give the meaning of the term ’risk’ AND give a workplace example. (3)
(b) Identify the key stages of a risk assessment. (5)

Answer 42

(a) Risk is determined by considering the likelihood of harm occurring and the potential severity of harm, damage or loss. For example, if working with faulty, mains-powered electrical equipment, there is high probability that an electric shock could be received, and the potential result is death.
(b) The HSE have identified the following five steps to risk assessment:

1. Identify the hazards.
2. Identify who could be harmed and how (including workers, visitors, contractors, vulnerable groups such as young persons, pregnant workers and the disabled).
3. Evaluate the risk (considering likelihood and severity of harm) and decide on precautions.
4. Record the significant findings and implement them.
5. Review and update as necessary.